by Jim Ross

Created on: October 24, 2008

Almost all of us are familiar with the name Odo. Many of us will remember Ren Auberjonois playing him as the Constable in Star Trek: Deep Space 9, but did you know the name "Odo" was a very popular name and that its origins date back to before the middle Ages?Odo atypically derives from the names of Ortho, Otto (German), Odon (French), Ottone (Italian), and Udo (Germanic) and actually means "possessor of wealth." The name Odo is also very popular in fictional characters too, not just Star Trek. The earliest record of the name comes via "Odo the great" and dates back to c735 his title also mentions him as "The Duke of Aquitaine" The second historical record was Odo the 1st, he was Count of Orlans, and died around 834. He first appeared as an Imperial Legate to the Eastern Saxons around 810, when he was captured by the Wlizi. In 811 he signed a peace treaty, as count, with the Vikings. In 834 while fighting partisans Odo, his brother William "Guy of Maine" and Theodo, "Abbot of Saint Martin of Tours," were killed. Did you know history also mentions "Odo of France?" Odo or Eudes 1 was King of the Franks between 888 and 898. The Son of Robert the Strong, Count of Anjou, he is often referred to as the Duke of France, and Count of Paris. His family were known as the Robertians. For his skill and bravery in resisting attacks by the Normans at the Siege of Paris, Odo was chosen as King by the Western Franks when the Emperor Charles the Fat was deposed in 887. Odo married Thodrate of Troyes, and had two sons: Arnulf (born about 885) and Guy (Born about 888). His sons never lived past the age of fifteen years. Odo died at La Fre, on January the 1st, 898. Another Odo the 1st, was Margrave (military governor) of the Saxon Ostmark (Eastern March) in 965. "He" made war on Mieszko of Poland but Emperor Otto the 1st of Mezzogiorno, ordered that he cease all activities until he could arrive to arbitrate. Odo the 1st died 13 March 993. Another was known as "Odo Cantianus" which has two meanings: "Odo of Canterbury" and "Odo of Kent." As a monk of Christ Church he later became a Subprior (a claustral officer who assists a prior). Acting as a friend of Thomas Becket he attended an appeal hearing with Pope Alexander III against the Archbishop of York - an appeal hearing to help stem the tensions between Thomas Becket and King Henry II. After his church was burned he went to the Council of Woodstock to renew church charters and instead was elected Abbot of "Battle" on July 19, 1175. Odo was a great reader of books, a brilliant theologian, and one who preached in French, English and Latin. He died 20 January 1200, and was venerated at "Battle" as a Saint. Odo Collona, from 1417 1431, was Pope Martin V From the world of fiction the following characters are attributed with the name: Odo: (Star Trek: The shape shifting Constable of Deep Space 9);

Odo Proudfoot, a cousin of Bilbo Baggins from the trilogy "Lord of the Rings."
Odo: from the science fiction novel "The Dispossessed." Odo: the wizard (where Rubeus and Horace sing a song) from JK Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." The name of Odo therefore is "certainly" not unique in itself. It is a name full of colorful historic events From King's, to Pope's, to Wizards and Constables it is, it's own "possessor of wealth."

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